SFIA kicks off first day of Industry Leaders Summit with second annual ‘Start-Up’ Challenge and a powerhouse lineup of speakers

CHICAGO (September 14, 2017) –The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) is proud to announce its successful first day of its fifth annual Industry Leaders Summit (ILS). The day begun with the ‘Start-Up’ Challenge, where five start-ups were selected to showcase their innovative companies to a highly-esteemed panel of judges.

The winner of its second-annual ‘Start-Up’ Challenge is ShotTracker®, the manufacturer of wearable tech for basketball. During the competition, the company showcased its newest technology, ShotTracker® TEAM, which automatically captures real-time practice and game stats for an entire basketball team. ShotTracker® TEAM is a sensor-based technology that captures player and ball movement within three dimensions.

“We are always looking to surround ourselves with the most innovative companies in the industry, so we are proud to not only have won this year’s startup challenge, but to have competed against so many other companies who are bringing great ideas to the table,” said Davyeon Ross, COO and Co-Founder at ShotTracker. “ShotTracker® TEAM is a technology that is truly changing the game, so it’s exciting to be able to showcase what really differentiates us within the industry.”

ShotTracker® will receive a spotlight in the ‘SFIA Insider Blog,’ additional exposure through SFIA’s marketing channels and a winner’s plaque. In addition, the winner will receive one free year of SFIA membership and a public relations campaign from Uproar PR, an award-winning international PR firm specializing in sports technology and fitness companies.

“We have been thoroughly impressed with the innovation and technology demonstrated by our five start-up finalists, and are excited to see each company grow within the sports & fitness industry,” said Tom Cove, President & CEO of SFIA.

SFIA’s annual ILS brought than 200 C-level executives from across the sports and fitness industry together to examine an assortment of issues surrounding their businesses and the economy. This year’s list of attending companies includes, adidas, NFL, Gatorade, Nike, Mastercard, New Balance, Mizuno and Under Armour.

Additionally, the ILS was filled with a prestigious roster of speakers to discuss today’s biggest topics throughout the sports & fitness industry including Rich Luker, Ph.D, Founder of the ESPN Sports Poll & Luker on Trends and Sarah Quinlan, SVP, Market Insights, Mastercard.

“I have a long history with SFIA dating back to the 90’s, and back then the issues were much the same as they are now, a concern for the state of play in America,” said Rich Luker, PhD, Founder, Luker on Trends & the ESPN Sports Poll. “I really do think that the attendees in this room have the best opportunity to be the strongest source for positive social engagement, period.”

“I though the Summit was a tremendous event and I enjoyed it very much,” said Sarah Quinlan, Senior VP of Market Insight, Mastercard. “My hope is that people really think about how to use data, not just to collect it, not just to take a quick snap shot, but how we can consistently build data to use it to really assist our business.”

ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.